recipes for milk and wheat allergies

12-07-2009, 02:39 AM

So, I know I've been on here from time to time looking for advice about my former preemie, now 3 y/o. I have another one.

I have long suspected a food allergy with my 3 y/o, but didn't want to do the allergy test until she was older, especially since I didn't have a clue what to guess was giving her a rash and diarrhea. We know she's allergic to pollen (asthma) and to penicillin and ibuprofen (anaphylaxis when she was a baby). So she gets an asthma medicine every night and antihistamine as needed for the rash.

This weekend, though, she had another anaphylaxis reaction that I'm certain is a food allergy. She had white milk, and a little bit of a slice of pepperoni and cheese pizza, and just a bite or two of a garlic breadstick. We haven't had a reaction like this before to these foods, but like I described above, she has had a less severe reaction to something yet to be determined. We had hives and facial swelling and wheezing and such. I went right home, gave her antihistamine, put her in the bath to soothe the rash, and immediately decided to cut out milk and wheat.

We go to the doctor Monday morning right away, but I suspect she'll agree with me...until we get an allergy test scheduled. So...I have a problem.

Where can I go to find tasty, kid-friendly, healthy recipes that don't use milk or wheat? Especially with the holidays here, and we usually make cookies and candies and sweets for Christmas. Are there any cookie recipes that don't use either milk or wheat flour? Are there any economical substitutes for either? For example, I know you can use rice or almond milk instead of animal milk but the price tag is a little hefty for everyday use.

Hi Rita,
We did the GF/CF diet for a long time and it was difficult! I don't have any great go-to recipes, except for pancakes. The rest, I would just search the internet for recipes and ideas; there's lots out there. Vegan sites can be great resources, too. I have a friend who's vegan who is always finding yummy cookie recipes on line, of course, you'd have to find wheat alternatives for those that use it.

As far as cost, eating healthy is more expensive, although not per nutrient quota. I think the best way to make these types of changes is to rely heavily on fruits and veggies rather than fortified alternatives. For instance, why do you want your child to drink milk? Is it for calcium? Then find veggies that are high in calcium and work those into the diet.

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So, went to the doctor, and she doesn't think it's wheat or milk. It's more likely to be a food dye or preservative...or it may not even be a food allergy. Could be a perfume or cleaning chemical that was on a surface that my daughter touched. Pretty scary stuff. She's on a daily dose of Zyrtec and must always carry an Epi-Pen with me.

There are a lot of different issues here. We know her asthma is caused by pollen. We also know that she has anaphylactic reactions to both penicillin and ibuprofen. But we're not sure what's going on with her eczema -- this seems to be aggravated by certain foods, but it's still a shot in the dark which ones. And then, the out-of-the-blue anaphylactic reaction last weekend to who knows what.

Any ideas on where to start to narrow down the list of possible allergens, or would you recommend not trying to do that and just make sure to keep up on the anti-histamine and have the Epi-Pen nearby? Am I wasting my time trying to figure out all that she's allergic to?

Also, the doctor said most allergist prefer not to do the allergy test until a child is past age 5, as they will often outgrow what allergies they will outgrow by then.

Comment

Presumably the other kids know that they cannot have certain foods, so it would be OK for Gab to repeat that if thats what shes been told too.

Maybe think of something she knows she mustnt eat, even if she doesnt have an allergy herself, eg: "You know how you cant eat the soap in the bath, even though it smells good, because it isnt food and would make you sick? Well, for some kids, there are some foods that are like that..."

But I would also, unless the allergy is something REALLY restrictive like wheat, make sure that theres none of it in the house during their visit to be offered

Bundle xx

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I agree whole heartedly, you need to see a pediatric allergist. With the airway and skin reactions it is very likely that your child will test positive for food allergies. That having been said, diagnosis of food allergy is anything but cut and dry
There are two types of allergy testing done by most allergists- skin prick testing and blood testing (aka RAST or ELISA testing). Neither is better than 50% accurate for food allergies. Blood testing looks for IgE antibodies in the blood of the patient that are present when challenged with doses of the suspect allergens. If you have an IgE rise then you are truly, classicly "allergic". That having been said you can have raised IgE levels and NOT react clinically to the allergen in question. Your body is primed to react to that substance and its good information but may not be consistent with your actual experience. Skin testing is supposed to eliminate that ambiguity by attempting to elicit a localized (supposedly controlled) clinical reaction. However some argue that, especially where food is concerned, to intentionally break the skin and present food substance is an artificial testing method and actually can cause more harm then good by creating sensitivities that werent there before!
In fact, when it comes to food, the best way to figure it out is keeping a food journal and doing a food elimination trial. There are no hard/fast rules or guidelines on how to do this (trust me, Ive been looking for 2 years for my daughter with corn sensitivity) Which also brings up the point, that someone can also be sensitive and not truly allergic. That is certain foods can trigger reactions in certain individuals and they can still test negative for both skin prick and RAST testing. My child had horrible gastrointestinal distress for 2 years that no one could figure out. Eventually I initiated a food elimination trial and discovered she was sensitive to corn. We never had skin eruptions or airway issues. But her pain was no less real and her recovery, on a corn free diet, came in a mere 2 weeks after chasing our tails for sooo long! Sadly, a lot of allergists take the attitude that your "allergy" isnt real if they can't quantify it in their office. DO NOT give in. If you believe your child is reacting to certain foods, follow through on your instinct. (although with actual anaphylactic reactions I suspect your child would test positive)
Now, as for resources/recipes- start at the food allergy and anaphylaxis network (FAAN) website- there are lots of good resources there and I believe they have a forum for recipe sharing. Sadly, one of the best resources for foods and recipes allergygrocer.com (mrs Robsen) recently closed her doors, but you still might find some of her recipes floating out there in cyberspace. I use baking mixes produced by a company called Namaste- made for the food allergic. You can order from their website or encourage your local health food store to carry their product line. Also try solutionstosavor.com. There are plenty of wheat free/gluten free options out there now, thanks to celiac disease sufferers. With milk a simple substitution of rice milk or one of the nut milks (if nuts isnt a concern) is usually pretty easy. Stay away from Soy. Often those that react to dairy also react to soy.
Check out the allergynutrition website. This immunologist/dietician/mom of severely food allergic child has written a few books on the topic.
Good Luck!